So no one has mentioned the following two headlines:
- David Taylor steps down as Fed Cup captain.
- Australia plays defending champions and number 1 seeds Czech Republic in first round of 2013 competition away in Czech Republic.

David Taylor has stepped down from his position as Australia’s Fed Cup captain, stating that he wants to focus solely on coaching Sam Stosur.

The 40-year-old skipper leaves the national team in good shape after finishing his seven-year stint as Australian captain on a high after his team secured its place in World Group I with an away win over a talented German side last April.

Taylor, who acted as Fed Cup coach in 2002 and 2003 before taking the role as captain in 2006, has overseen the Australian team through highs as well as lows but leaves with a win-loss record of 15-6.

"It has been an honour to hold such a prestigious position in a great tennis nation such as ours. I am thankful to Tennis Australia and Craig Tiley for entrusting me with such an important role," said Taylor.

"I want to acknowledge the fantastic loyal support of our players with whom our elevation back to World Group I would obviously not have been possible.”

When Taylor first took the job as Fed Cup captain, Australia was competing in Asia/Oceania Zone Group I against the likes of Uzbekistan, Korea Rep. and India. He departs with his nation in the competition’s top tier facing an away trip to reigning champions Czech Republic in the first round next year.

^^All depends on the timing of the ties, particularly the one in May during the clay season. Sam would be reluctant to come back to Oz right in the middle of it.

You'd expect Nicole Bradtke to be a strong chance to takeover considering she has been the team coach for the last couple of years. I think Nicole Pratt is too involved in the junior program to take the role. Cant see anyone else wanting the role??

^^All depends on the timing of the ties, particularly the one in May during the clay season. Sam would be reluctant to come back to Oz right in the middle of it.

You'd expect Nicole Bradtke to be a strong chance to takeover considering she has been the team coach for the last couple of years. I think Nicole Pratt is too involved in the junior program to take the role. Cant see anyone else wanting the role??

Yeah my money would be on Bradtke would seem like a natural progression.

ALICIA Molik and Rennae Stubbs are among the confirmed candidates for the Fed Cup captaincy vacated by David Taylor last month, with the possibility of a surprise late expression of interest from Tennis Australia's head of professional tennis, Todd Woodbridge.

Applications for the role close on Friday, and may also include current Fed Cup coach Nicole Bradtke. Molik, the former world No. 8, and Stubbs, the global competition's most-capped player, appear to be the front-runners, and while Woodbridge said he had not yet applied, the former doubles star and top-20 singles player has not ruled out expanding an already busy portfolio that he also combines with Channel Seven commentary duties.

''It's interesting, because my job entails most of that role anyway,'' Woodbridge said. ''I'm already doing plenty, but we'll see what happens when we get to Friday, and about how all that looks. It's something that I wouldn't dismiss because, to be honest, I'm there anyway, I'm at the ties. I don't know that that would happen; a lot of it will come down to what the girls want. I think we've got some pretty good candidates.''

Taylor held the joint positions of Fed Cup captain and personal coach to US Open champion Sam Stosur, an arrangement that was occasionally a source of disgruntlement within the squad.

''What's important is that the girls, different to the men, like the slight separation of an athlete's current assigned coach and Fed Cup captain; they like someone who can oversee that whole area,'' Woodbridge said. ''Dave had Sam as his player and so some of the other girls sometimes thought there was a little bit of a conflict. There wasn't, they all played well together, but we won't have those issues with the person going into it now.''

Bradtke has been assured of retaining her coaching position, at least, when Australia returns to the eight-nation world group in 2013, and has previously indicated that to be the most likely scenario. Another potential candidate, Nicole Pratt, is expected to take up an expanded role at the national academy in Melbourne, working with the talented crop of emerging 13-16-year-olds.

''The goal is to get somebody in there to win the Fed Cup, because we've really got a team that could win it. We're not the favourites, but you look at the line-up and we've got Sam, and if Jarmila [Gajdosova] can get her game back on track, she can beat anybody, and you've got young Ash Barty sitting down below who's probably ready soon to move up into the team,'' Woodbridge said.

''So we've got some potential over the next three years to actually win the Fed Cup, and a huge goal of mine is to get all of that in place and really have a crack at doing that for women's tennis.''

Taylor announced last month that he wished to reduce his travel commitments and devote all his available time to continuing his successful partnership with Stosur. He departs after seven years with a 15-6 record, including an upset win over Germany in April that secured Australia's promotion from world group II. The title campaign starts against the reigning champion, the Czech Republic, in Ostrava on February 9-10.

Glad our Davis Cup captain can take a breather during our home tournament swing Not that we saw him about during the play-off, tho I stand to be corrected on this. Davis Cup seems a bit of a boys club atm - I wonder if you don't worship the feet of Rafter, Hewitt and co, you're on the outer.

Glad our Davis Cup captain can take a breather during our home tournament swing Not that we saw him about during the play-off, tho I stand to be corrected on this. Davis Cup seems a bit of a boys club atm - I wonder if you don't worship the feet of Rafter, Hewitt and co, you're on the outer.

well said as always louloubelle. I would think this incredible that Rafter be absent at this time of year when all the boys are to there giving their best. .......he should be there mentoring, scouting and creating a team atmosphere. God forbid leaving this to Todd Woodbridge who is busy commentating and not giving the players his major focus. He is all about feathering his own nest.